Two big, often-bearded, and seemingly easily pissed-off, Canadian men singing for two of this generation's foremost hardcore bands. In one corner we have Damian Abraham (aka Pink Eyes) of Fucked Up - the intimidating, yet loveable vocalist representing his home-country. In the other corner, the less-portly-but-just-as-fierce, Wade MacNeil, singing for English band Gallows.

Both these bands have their roots solidly ground in hardcore punk, but it would be wrong to simply label these bands as hardcore for each band have carved out something unique by incorporating keyboards and other instruments into their songs. Their fans too are not strictly hardcore punks and include metalheads and indie-kids lovers alike.

Fucked Up have released three albums. 'Hidden World', released in 2006, was awarded #1 punk album of the year by Exclaim! magazine. The followup in 2008, 'The Chemistry of Common Life', won the 2009 Polaris Music Prize, and finally last year's 'David Comes to Life', picked up many accolades, including Spin Magazine awarding it a 9/10 and also #1 Album of 2011.
Following extensive touring, singer Damian Abraham claimed 'I can't tour anymore', so it seems likely that if you miss this Taipei show, you probably won't get another chance.

Gallows started in 2005 and quickly gained popularity in England's hardcore punk scene. Their first album came out just one year later. Bad Religion's Brett Gurewitz called it the best hardcore album since Refused's The Shape of Punk to Come and released it in the US on Epitaph Records. Frontman Frank Carter left the band in 2011 and was replaced by Wade MacNeil, formerly Alexisonfire's singer/guitarist and the band quickly released another album, self-titled 'Gallows', which both Alternative Press and DrownedInSound gave a mighty 9/10.

People are going to be talking about this show for a long time coming. Missing it would be a totally fucked up mistake.